Conflicts
by dhalpin3
Summary: This takes placed between the original New Mutants 17'th and 18'th issues. Some Illyana/Rahne interactions. Added a second Chapter with Logan.
1. Chapter 1

**Conflicts**

Author's note: This takes placed between the original New Mutants 17'th and 18'th issues. Some Illyana/Rahne interactions.

It started with the Bible, if the intent is to draw a line between desires and actions. Rahne so wanted Illyana gone. Demon. She was a demon. Why couldn't everybody see that she had to be driven out?

Rahne was always on edge whenever Illyana was present, and she was present so very much now. To be fair, not like Rahne was trying to be fair, Illyana did live there before any of the New Mutants showed up; although she did live in the X-men wing of the house and not the New Mutant wing.

Before Illyana had mostly kept to herself and Kitty. She had not been in the classes with the New Mutants. But now she was.

Plus, Illyana and Dani were always going off and talking privately. Very suspicious. And Dani refused to tell anybody what had happened to her and Illyana in Limbo; or what they talked about. Bet the witch put a spell on her or something.

Rahne tried the trick when it was her and Illyana's turn to clean up after breakfast. Illyana was putting the clean dishes away and Rahne was loading the dishwasher.

Rahne passed Illyana a book. _"Here Illyana, please hold this for a moment"._

Illyana accepted the book without comment. She wasn't really paying attention, she looked kind of distracted about something.

Rahne waited for her to vanish, it was an old Scottish tale on how to banish the devil; the devil could never hold the good book.

Nothing happened.

Illyana had a questioning expression on her face as to why she was holding a book, and then she glanced down and saw that it was the Holy Bible, King James Version.

Illyana gave a sigh and quickly flipped to Exodus 22:18, with a practiced ease, and read the quote.

 _"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live"._

Illyana had dark look on her face and a bitter smile. _"Well technically I'm not a witch Rahne, I'm a sorceress. And I've always preferred the Living Bible myself, let's see what that version has to say. She flipped though the pages and the book morphed into another version of the bible. Ah here we go, Exodus 22:18 again. Ohh, better quote for you Rahne_ ".

Illyana read out loud. _"A sorceress shall be put to death"._

Illyana flipped the bible back to Rahne who barely caught it.

 _"So what did you expect to happen Rahne? That I'd go up in smoke? Scream and burn? Morph into some horrible creature and flee? Hmm planning on taking a shot? Kitchen knife by chance or are you just going to hit me with the milk pitcher"?_

Rahne didn't quite know what to say. She'd hoped Illyana would have vanished but... no such luck. The sight of Illyana reading from the bible was disquieting, wrong somehow.

Rahne spoke from her heart " _You shouldn't be here with good people. This isn't your home you... you... devil"._

 _"Thanks Rahne. Right back atcha. Last time I checked you were a werewolf"._

 _"Leave me out of this witch. I know I'm cursed"!_

Illyana had a look of pity. _"Well Rahne, since you're such a big bible reader, although I do have to wonder how much of it you practice vs. reading, read First Corinthians 13;2 sometime and then come back to me. Hope for us all I guess"._

This was not the discussion Rahne could ever have imagined. Illyana dispensing bible quotes at her. _"And how do you know so much about the good book"?_

Illyana suddenly look troubled. Ahh the truth thought Rahne. Then a statement that left Rahne even more confused.

 _"Belasco had an entire book shelf of bibles. It was... required reading as it were. He really liked the damned, as it were, to understand what was lost to them. Liked to occasionally grind the knife in figuratively, which oddly hurt more then when he was grinding it in literally"._

Illyana turned away and left the kitchen. She left a parting comment on the air. _"I'll leave it to you to finish up Rahne. I think we're done interacting for the day"._

Well that did not go as planned. Rahne reluctantly turned to 1 Corinthians 13:2 and read it to herself.

 _"If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing"._

Now what does that mean Rahne thought to herself.


	2. Chapter 2

**Conflicts**

Author's note: Decided to write a second chapter. Rahne was always in Illyana's face for so long, yet really never had much cause other then her religious beliefs. I can't help but feel that she would have tried to get rid of Illyana in some way. I figure she had to have complained to Xavier and was likely told to suck it in and put her big girl pants on.

 **Part 2: If at first you don't succeed, try try again**

After a few days of contemplation, and web searches, Rahne tried again.

Nailing a cross over the front door. No luck she walked right under it and didn't even notice. Then the Professor made Rahne take it down. Something about it actually being his house and not hers to decorate.

Holy water didn't work either. Illyana drank the lemonade just like everybody else. Ditto when she tried spraying it on Illyana. Illyana had just given her a cross look and asked if getting her wet was a Scottish thing? That night the shower had malfunctioned while Rahne was in it, will it had started out hot, then it was ice water. Most of the house heard her shrieks. They said it was just a plumbing mishap, but she knew the witch had done it. She knew.

The communion wafers hadn't worked either. She'd ground them up and put them in the muesli cereal that Illyana liked. Illyana had a double portion that morning. Apparently she found the cereal to be extra tasty for some reason.

Bible hidden in under the front porch was also a no go.

Nor was the cross that Rahne had taken to prominently wearing. After a few days she remembered that Kitty was always wearing a Jewish star necklace and she was her roomie so apparently overt religious symbols didn't work for some reason.

Religious music also didn't work, and everybody kept making her turn it down anyway.

Rahne was rather stymied. Nothing had worked. Sterner measures were called for, but Rahne wasn't sure what those measures could be. Years later Rahne would curse herself for missing the obvious reasons why they didn't work.

Late one night, two weeks after she had started her crusade, she was outside in her wolf form. She loved the night air, the coldness just seemed to amplify scents. She was out in the woods noising around, had chased a few rabbits and a deer (what fun!) and was following a tasty scent (Smelled like old pork barbeque, her jaws were salivating at the prospect of gnawing on some tasty pork bones. They had had barbeque last night and she'd loved it). She had just found the location of the tasty scents when the ambush happened.

She was noising around a mound of snow (Tasty scent is here!) when a figure erupted from the mound. She was startled and tried to back away but the figure wrapped his body around hers. Her rear legers were helpless has her attacker pinned them between his rear legs. His mass forced her to the ground and his left hand had grabbed her muzzle preventing her from opening her mouth and taking a bite. His right had was curled into a fist and pressed against the side of her head.

She froze at both his words and the recognition of his scent.

 _"Freeze short stuff. Don't wanta ya to get hurt. But time for a little talk"._

It was Mr. Logan, Wolverine! She remained motionless.

 _"Now I'm gonna take my hand away from your mouth and release you. No biting or I'll bite back. When you're free I want you to transform back into something that can talk. Contrary to some folks beliefs, I don't speak mutt"._

He released her and sprang back. She remained frozen for a second, and then will a growl transformed into her half human half wolf form and turned to confront him (verbally that is, no way would she want to physically engage him).

 _"Wolf, not a dog, and you scared me!"_ was her angry reply; she tried to hide just how much he had scared her.

Wolverine was dressed in his brown field costume and lack any human scent for some reason (Logan had doused himself in a scent conceal product that hunters use). His reply was in keeping with his sensitivity to others.

 _"Ya breathing ain't ya? Like I flaming care about the kennel club particulars"._

Rahne was upset. Wolverine had scared the heck out of her, for second she had thought that she was going to be... well... attacked. Let's leave it at that.

 _"Well, what do you want to talk about"_ she huffed angrily as it were.

 _"Two things kiddo, one you need to keep your head in the game. You'd let your beast side take over. Way too easy to ambush you there. But that's not why I'm out here freezing my chunucks off. Wanted to have a few private words about why you're trying to poison Petie's sister"._

Rahne didn't understand. She hadn't tried to poison Illyana, at least not yet _. "I don't know what you're talking about Mr. Logan"_ she denied.

 _"Yea you do kiddo. You smell guilty. Plus, you expected something bad to happen to Illyana when she eat her cereal. What did you do and why"?_

Ut-oh. _"I don't want to talk about it. Leave me alone"!_

Logan extracted a thin cigar from a pocket and lit up. _"No dice Darlin'. Either deal with me or deal with Chuck. Wonder what he'll find digging round in that furry head of yours? You willing to chance it"?_

No Rahne thought. She'd already complained, multiple times, that it wasn't right that a demon lived under his roof. Her complaints and protests were not well received. To summarize Xavier had told her that Illyana had just as much right to reside in the mansion as Rahne did.

 _"No... She's a demon. Why can't any of you see that?"_ she asked in desperation.

 _"Crap short stuff. You're a werewolf. Rather kettle calling the pot black here. And Kurt looks like a demon; but you and him don't get on either. Orr' is a goddess to some and your teammate Amara's a flipping pagan"._

 _'She's a demon! That's different"!_

 _"I'll ask one more time on account of your age, then I'll leave it to Chuck to sort out. What did you do"?_

Being in half wolf form was rather intimidating for most folks _._ Wolverine was so not intimidated. He radiated alpha annoyance and Rahne was not an alpha compared to him. She gave in and confessed to the wafers and the holy water, plus the other deeds.

 _"Hon, you might want to reconsider what you've been trying to do"._

Rahne was caught but defiant.

 _"In what way"?_

 _"I know you have a thick skull, you've survived being hit on the head enough times to prove it, but let's say your little food additive tricks worked. What would you expect to happen"?_

 _"She'd vanish"._

 _"Maybe, or more likely she'd vanish the same why you'd vanish if I dosed you with some actual wolf's bane extract. Ever seen what wolf's bane root or flower can do to a person or a wolf? Bleeping plant got its name for a reason sunshine"._

 _"No..."_ Rahne wasn't sure what Mr. Logan was getting at.

 _"First is the nausea, then the vomiting and diarrhea. Followed by the sensation of burning and numbness. Then come the sweats, dizziness, inability the breath, headache and confusion. Then ya stop breathing and so does your heart. It flipping hurts, I know from unpleasant experience. Doesn't sound so nice now. Would you feel better if Illyana was busy vomiting blood and shitting her life out? How bout' black folk as well? Is it ok to make them vanish if you're unconformable with them as well? And I don't think that Reverend of yours liked Jews, so is Kitty next on the list"?_

 _"No..."_ Rahne hadn't thought of sounded so... clean. None of that sounded clean or nice.

 _"Look Darlin', this is for real. Glad to see that Illyana didn't have any bad affects on what you've been doing but it stops now"._

 _"But... but... she's a demon! And she keeps talking to Dani! I know something's bad going to happen to Dani because of that witch! I don't like it! She's_ _my_ _friend! Not hers"!_

Ahh, another reason for all the angst though Logan. Little tyke don't like competition. Flamin' schoolyard fight in a way, stay away from my friend.

Logan blew some smoke though his nose. Helped deaden the scent of Rahne's distress (And folks wondered why he smoked? Enhanced senses can be a pain in the social ass, folks got a right to some privacy and who the hell wants to smell everybody's problems all the time. Chuck had his mind shields, smoking was Logan's version).

 _"Look kid, you can dislike Illyana all you want. But Dani is a big girl and can decide to be friends with more people than just you. Trying to build a wall around Dani ain't going work, just piss of Dani for one and you'll likely end up losing the very thing you want if you keep behaving that way"._

 _"I won't apologize to her. I won't"!_ Her being Illyana.

 _"Ain't asking or telling. Nock it off on the trying to poison her or drive her out. Are we clear here"?_

Rahne hung her head. _"Yes Mr. Logan. Clear"._

 _"Good. Now get"._

Rahne transformed back into a wolf and went back to the mansion.

Flaming kids thought Logan. Since why did I become the hallway monitor.

He hadn't shared that he had sensed that Illyana knew of at least some of Rahne's attempts. Knew and had been upset in that quiet way of hers that she mostly never shared with anybody.


	3. Chapter 3

**Conflicts**

Author's note: Decided that this story sequence needed a better ending. Rahne finally did stop snipping at Illyana in the comics but we never really saw why. I also figure that eventually there had to be some kind of confrontation between the two. I figure this takes place before the New Mutants Karma and Asgard story sequence in the comics.

 **Part 3: Dishes and other penances**

Rahne and Illyana were cleanup after an early supper. Yea Rahne hated having to work with Illyana but the headmaster didn't, to quote him, give two figs about that.

 **BEGIN REFLECTIONS**

 _"Life is full doing things we don't want Rahne"._ He had explained. _"Things we don't like, people we don't like, situations we don't like. Some we can avoid, some we can't, and some are... teaching moments. Enjoy the lessons"._

Very unsympathetic Rahne groused to herself. And Dani wasn't any help at all. She refused to stop associating with Illyana despite Rahne privately begging her to.

 _"You don't get to pick my friends short stuff"_ she'd said nicely but firmly. _"Yah she's scary at times, hell a whole bunch of times... ok way to often. But... You need to come to some accommodation with her. She's not as bad as you make her out to be... well... ok she can be that bad but not to any of us so far and she's proven herself"._

 _"You don't accommodate the devil"_ was Rahne's plaintive complaint.

 _"Rahne... nothing I say makes any difference to you and we don't have the same religious beliefs. I think... Sam is the one you should try asking for advice on this topic"._

 _"Why Sam"?_

 _"He... well he and I have spoken about this and he has some good insights"._

 _"Fine"_ Rahne had growled to herself.

She privately sought out Sam and voiced her fears and complaints yet again.

 _"What does the good book say about this Rahne?"_ was his first question.

 _"Don't suffer a witch to live"._

 _"A'h tend to go for the New Testament spin on this Rahne"_ replied Sam. Sam then quoted a bible verse.

 _"Mathew 7:1-2_ _Do not judge, or you too will be judged._ _For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you"._

Rahne just gave Sam an irritated glare.

Sam sighed. Women. Always getting uppity about things and then getting angry about getting uppity and then blaming the fellow for trying to address why they got uppity in the first place (Sam had a large number of female relatives and as a result had deep insight into female behaviors, or so he thought) _._

 _"It's like this Rahne, A'h listened to my fears, and the fears of others, and A'h tried to kill Illyana when A'h thought she'd killed Amanda. A'h was wrong, the only person doing evil was me. A'h failed. Ah'm not failing that way again"._

 _"But she's evil"!_

 _"And you're not"?_

 _"What"?!_

 _"We're all sinners Rahne. A'h sure know A'h am"._

 _"But she's evil"!_

 _"Yea, she sure can be a right nasty one. This situation kind of reminds me of the Farthal's, a family that lives down the road a bit from my family. Right nasty bunch that lot is. Father and the mother both just bad to the bone as my Pa would say. And their children raised to ain't be no better"._

 _"So..."?_

 _"Well you'd think such folks would avoid the church, but no sir. Attended every Sunday. And were right proper on how they behaved in public. But the words spoken by the Preacher and the good book? Well A'h suspect it was in one ear and out the other. They only heard what they wanted to hear. Felt real bad for their children as they were just raised wrong. Sometimes... well Sally, she was one of their children, found a wallet in the church parking lot and she'd turned it in to the Preacher. Well A'h later learned her Pa beat her afterwards because she'd let money slip through her fingers. It's harder to do right when you're always taught to do wrong"._

 _"So what does this have to do with Her"!_ Sam signed to himself, he wasn't just talking about Illyana. How did that verse go... pearls before swine? Na... don't right think Rahne will take that statement well (comparing a girl to a pig always ends badly whereas guys just tend to start oinking in affirmation).

 _"You're just not listening well Rahne._ _Mathew 7:16-17_ _By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. You need to give Illyana more of a chance. She's done right be you, by everybody. Plus how much of this is about Illyana and how much of this is just jealously"?_

 _"How can you take her side"?!_

 _"Listen to yourself Red. Ain't Illyana being what she is that has you all riled up, it's about her hanging with Dani and you don't like that"._

Rahne didn't answer, just gave Sam a look of utter distress.

 _"Why don't you just ask Illyana about it"?_

 _"Why would I talk to her?"_ Rahne hissed.

 _"Well... looks like all paths rather head in that direction. Don't you go being a Jonah about this and end up having a whale force you to go where God tells you to get. Keep running the wrong way and the Good Lord tends to get a bit... forceful on the topic as Jonah learned. As my Pa would say, the climb gets harder the longer you walk down the hill"._

 **END REFLECTIONS**

Illyana and Rahne had not exchanged a word while doing the chores; hadn't in fact spoken for awhile. There was a cold feeling of dismissal from Illyana.

No time like the present I guess, Rahne thought to herself as she dried a pan. Illyana was busy putting away dishes from the dishwasher.

 _"Why are you friends with Dani"_ asked Rahne with a shy whisper to Illyana's back.

 _"Because she was the first of you to actually be nice, even though she was terrified of me. You can be such a bitch at times Rahne"_ was Illyana's suddenly angry response as she turned and confronted Rahne.

 _"My friend not yours! My friend! My friend! Yes I know Dani is your friend, since when did that mean Dani can't be anybody else's friend as well? Gods I tire of your constant attempts to build fences around me and define what I'm to be! Like I'm not good enough for Dani! Like I'm not worthy to have friends. I like Dani, she treats me like a person even though she's scared of me half the time. It's... nice having friends. What is so wrong with that"?_

Rahne hated the B word (being a werewolf made the comment feel extra nasty).

 _"Don't call me a bitch! I hate that word"!_

 _"Then don't act like one"!_

 _"Leave Dani alone"!_

 _"I'm not bothering her in the slightest, nor am I telling her what to do"._

 _"Because... because... because..."._ Rahne was so upset she couldn't come up with something to say.

 _"Because I'm a demon? Gee thanks Rahne, I already knew that, and so does Dani. And so does everybody else"._

Rahne started to cry _"Why... why do you want to be her friend"?_

 _"Because I like her. Because I like being liked! I like being considered just another girl. I like being thought of as something other then a demon. Why is that so hard to understand"?_

Rahne was utterly miserable and spoke the truth. _"I'm... I'm scared for her. And scared she won't be my friend any more"._

 _"Why on earth would you think that Rahne"?_

 _"Because... because... you're so much... better then me"!_

Illyana had a surprised expression. _"Better"?_

 _"Better!"_ wailed Rahne.

Illyana was uncertain now that she was confronting a crying Rahne. What had started as a good fight, so satisfying to finally lash out at Rahne, was now reduced to emotional hysterics from a sobbing young girl. Illyana hated emotional distress. It always reminded her of... so much of her past.

 _"Um..."_ Illyana rather didn't know what to do, this now felt... wrong. Rahne had gone from being a massive pain in the ass to being... a scared girl who was afraid of losing her best friend. Which was so annoying, much better when Rahne was just being a bitch.

 _"I'm not better then you Rahne, I'm just... me"._

 _"You are better! You fight better! You plan better! You talk about things better! You're not shy and afraid"!_

Ok. Really not liking this anymore thought Illyana.

 _"I'm not better, just more outgoing then you, also I'm older and more... experienced about... things. That's why I like Dani, she and I can talk about... things. She, and I suppose all of you, help me to be better then I am, make me want to be better. I... like that. Even you a little when you're not being a bitc... brat"._

 _"You don't like me"!_

 _"Do you want me to like you"?_

 _"No! That would mean I'm..."_

 _"Evil. No short stuff, you're not evil. Take it from me; I'm kind of an authority on the subject"._

Rahne just sniffed and cried.

 _"Great now what Rahne. First you can't stand me, then it's always calling me witch until I finally asked you to cut it out and now it's just crying. Shards what the hell do you want me to do... and if it's leave then tough luck on that. This was my home before it was yours"._

 _"Quit trying to take away my friends"_ was the sniffled response.

 _"I'm not trying to take your friends away. I'd say I have more of a complaint in that department then you"._

 _"How"._

 _"Gee, let's see. Sam tries to kill me a while back because somebody helped convince him that I was of the devil. Berto treats me like a pail of cold urine half the time. Somebody keeps telling Dani all kinds of nasty things about me that are so no true, and... well shall I go on"?_

Rahne uttered a miserable no.

 _"Well now what then"._

 _"I don't know..."._

Illyana eyed the crying girl. Then thought upon how nice it was to be comforted by Kitty and providing comfort to Kitty when her jerk of a brother broke up with her. A rather nice sensation, something that had been lacking during her time in Limbo.

 _"I can't believe I'm saying this, but... do you want a hug"?_

Rahne eyed Illyana. That was not something she'd ever expect to hear from her. She thought upon Sam's words and then hesitantly nodded her head yes as she was still too choked up.

Illyana took a few steps and hesitantly hugged Rahne. It was a rather half hearted hug, but it was a hug.

 _"It's ok to hate me Rahne. Part of me hates me too. Just chill on the... well you know"._

 _"You're not going to steal Dani from me"?_

 _"No Rahne I'm not, already got a BFF. You're lucky to have her as a best friend"._

 _"Ok then..."_ Rahne gave Illyana a half hearted hug back.

It was a weak start, but a start.


End file.
